Critical Reasoning

1. Economist: Every business strives to increase its productivity, for this increases profits for the owners and the likelihood that the business will survive. But not all efforts to increase productivity are beneficial to the business as a whole. Often attempts to increase productivity decrease the number of employees, which clearly harms the dismissed employees as well as the sense of security of the retained employees.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the economist's argument?

(A) If an action taken to secure the survival of a business fails to enhance the welfare of the business's employees, that action cannot be good for the business as a whole.

(B) Some measures taken by a business to increase productivity fail to be beneficial to the business as a whole.

(C) Only if the employees of a business are also its owners will the interests of the employees and owners coincide, enabling measures that will be beneficial to the business as whole.

(D) There is no business that does not make efforts to increase its productivity.

(E) Decreasing the number of employees in a business undermines the snese of security fo retained employees.


2. Double-blind techniques should be used whenever possible in scientific experiments. They help prevent the misinterpretations that often arise due to expectations and opinions that sicientists already hold and clearly scientists should be extremely diligent in trying to avoid such misinterpretations.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument?

(A) Scientists's objectivity may be impeded by interpreting experimental evidence on the basis of expectations and opinions that they hold.

(B) It is advisable for scientists to use double-blind techniques in as high proportion of their experiments as they can.

(C) Scientists sometimes neglect to adequately consider the risk of misinterpreting evidence on the basis of prior expectations and opinions.

(D) Whenver possible, scientists should refrain from interpreting evidence on the basis of previously formed expecations and convictions.

(E) Double-blind experimental technieques are often an effective way fo ensuring scientific objectivity.

OA after discussion.

IMO [spoiler]1. B

2. B[/spoiler]

You are right. Explanations please..

gmatmachoman wrote:IMO [spoiler]1. B

2. B[/spoiler]

sreak1089 wrote:You are right. Explanations please..

gmatmachoman wrote:IMO [spoiler]1. B

2. B[/spoiler]

Hey give me a moment & will post the explanations. I wanted to explain this in detail ..so plz do bear with me!!

In Q1 only B and D are strong contenders. I am not able to figure out the best one.
Both these Q rely heavily on the wording,

B - not all efforts -- Some measures
D - Every business -- There is no business

They look equal contender to me.

Q2.
A. Wrong, conclusion should include Double-blind tech related info
B.Hold
C.Wrong, Argument says 'often', Ans stem says 'sometimes'. also, conclusion should include Double-blind tech related info
D.Wrong, conclusion should include Double-blind tech related info
E.Wrong, Argument says 'whenever possible', Ans stem says 'often'

So, IMO B

. Economist: Every business strives to increase its productivity, for this increases profits for the owners and the likelihood that the business will survive. But not all efforts to increase productivity are beneficial to the business as a whole. Often attempts to increase productivity decrease the number of employees, which clearly harms the dismissed employees as well as the sense of security of the retained employees.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the economist's argument?

(A) If an action taken to secure the survival of a business fails to enhance the welfare of the business's employees, that action cannot be good for the business as a whole.

(B) Some measures taken by a business to increase productivity fail to be beneficial to the business as a whole.

(C) Only if the employees of a business are also its owners will the interests of the employees and owners coincide, enabling measures that will be beneficial to the business as whole.

(D) There is no business that does not make efforts to increase its productivity.

(E) Decreasing the number of employees in a business undermines the snese of security fo retained employees.

A. wrong: welfare of employees not mentioned in passage
B. holds: very straightforward conclusion in fact mentioned in the underlined part of passage.
C. wrong, nothing about owners being employees mentioned
D. You might get confused in this because you may wonder that this is what the first line is implying, however that is not the conclusion of the passage but only a premise to reason out the conclusion which is B or the underlined part in passage above
E. same reason as above for E being incorrect. This is a premise, to further the larger conclusion.

For the next question the answer is B which I am sure you can reason out just like the above example.

I got it now. In Q.1, we need to focus only the conclusion part of the argument, going by that B is clear answer.

please explian the question number 2 in this post with reasons i m not able to understand this one....

i mean this one below
Double-blind techniques should be used whenever
possible in scientific experiments. They help prevent
the misinterpretations that often arise due to
expectations and opinions that scientists already hold,
and clearly scientists should be extremely diligent in
trying to avoid such misinterpretations.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses
the main conclusion of the argument?
(A) Scientists' objectivity may be impeded by
interpreting experimental evidence on the basis
of expectations and opinions that they already
hold.
(B) It is advisable for scientists to use double-blind
techniques in as high a proportion of their
experiments as they can.
(C) Scientists sometimes neglect to adequately
consider the risk of misinterpreting evidence on
the basis of prior expectations and opinions.
(D) Whenever possible, scientists should refrain
from interpreting evidence on the basis of
previously formed expectations and
convictions.
(E) Double-blind experimental techniques are often
an effective way of ensuring scientific
objectivity.

gmatmachoman wrote:

sreak1089 wrote:You are right. Explanations please..

gmatmachoman wrote:IMO [spoiler]1. B

2. B[/spoiler]

Hey give me a moment & will post the explanations. I wanted to explain this in detail ..so plz do bear with me!!

hey u have taken too long time pls post the explanation for 2nd

I am waiting Gmatmacmohan for your explanation on the second question...

Regards,
Phil

Looking at it now, B makes sense